Tennessee Titans star running back Derrick Henry picked up a toe injury during the team’s 27-24 win against the Los Angeles Chargers this past weekend.
Should we expect Henry to be available for your fantasy football lineup in Week 3? Let’s take a closer look.
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Latest Injury News Surrounding Derrick Henry
Henry was a limited participant for Wednesday’s practice heading into their Week 3 matchup against the Cleveland Browns.
#Titans Week 3 Injury Report (Wed) pic.twitter.com/Bwmh2jeQuY
— Easton Freeze (@eastonfreeze) September 20, 2023
However, Henry was not spotted at the start of practice on Thursday, raising question marks about how serious the toe injury is. It will now be extremely important to see whether or not he manages to practice on Friday. It is worth noting that Henry did speak with the media on Thursday, and there did not seem to be a huge amount of concern during that availability.
When the Titans released their injury report on Thursday, Henry was listed as toe/rest. That would indicate that his absence on Thursday was more about a scheduled day off than an absence due to injury. Fantasy managers can breathe somewhat of a sigh of relief.
Will Henry Play This Week?
It’s a very encouraging sign to see a veteran player dealing with an injury make an appearance in practice in any capacity to start the week.
Another encouraging sign was Henry touching the ball five times on the team’s final offensive possession against the Chargers last week, which suggests the injury wasn’t significant enough to keep him off the field in big moments of the game.
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Speaking of touching the ball, Henry logged 28 total touches for 95 yards and a score in Week 2.
However, what appears to be a mid-week downgrade is more of a concern. Then again, we have seen Henry getting rest days previously, so this very well may just be that pattern replaying. Henry’s status on Friday will be extremely crucial when it comes to whether or not he could be active on Sunday.
What Does This Mean for Henry’s Fantasy Ranking?
One of the more concerning things about Henry’s outlook for this week is his matchup against a very stingy Browns defense. Cleveland hasn’t allowed a rushing touchdown or a 60-yard rusher in a single game this season.
Henry is one of the best runners in the NFL, but if he’s hobbled against a defense that is playing at a very high level at the moment, it could affect his efficiency in Week 3.
At the same time, a toe injury for a running back is not exactly something to completely overlook. However, until Henry shows that the toe injury is clearly hindering his performance, then he should still be ranked inside the top 10 at the running back position for Week 3.
If Henry is unable to go this week, look for Tyjae Spears to see an expanded role in the Titans’ backfield.